Did you see the package of proposals the NCAA men's basketball rules committee has approved for next season? By the looks of it, they are apparently attempting to increase pace of play, better balance offense with defense and reduce the physicality in the sport.

The proposed changes have been sent to the NCAA rules oversight panel that will meet in June to decide which to adopt……if the past is any measure, all of these proposals will be adopted.

1. The committee once again wants to increase emphasis on perimeter defense, particularly when it comes to hands on the dribbler, and it wants the refs to more strictly enforce the directives put in the book before the 2013-14 season.

Remember how absurd some of the ticky-tacky fouls seemed two years ago and how often players were going to the line? The emphasis didn't stick…..and to this fan it seemed obvious why, but now the rule is to be reemphasized. There will be a lot of enraged fans and coaches over this, but I suppose we’ll all adjust.

2. Officiating emphasis on cleaning up physicality in post play.

Does it really need to be cleaned up? I say just let them battle it out….but I think a ref can tell the difference between banging and fouling. So, just as UP finally has a physical center in Ray Barreno, the rules are going to change?

3. Officiating emphasis on screening, particularly moving screens and requiring that the screener be stationary.

Maybe I just don’t understand the current rule, but I thought it was already being emphasized.

4. Officiating emphasis on allowing greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.

This should be easy to call if the one of the refs sees a defender hold or clobber a player trying to run through the lane.

5. The restricted area under the basket goes from three feet out to four feet out.

This change might help the most controversial call in basketball, the charge vs. the illegal block. The larger area might help clarify some of these calls and reduce the number of offensive charges called and thereby reducing the overall number of fouls on aggressive players like KB. On the other hand, far too many guys just bull their way in hoping for a whistle. I wouldn't mind seeing more no-calls in the paint. If you want to go to the rim, prepare to face the consequences.

6. The Shot clock is reduced from 35 to 30 seconds.I didn’t think a five second reduction would change the game much, but after watching the Pilots struggle and often rush to a bad shot against Sac St. in the last game of the season…..this could be more significant than I had anticipated until coaches and teams adjust. The women’s game has used the 30 second clock for years without much notice.

7. Took away one team timeout in the second half, with a focus on resuming play more quickly after a timeout.

There are still way too many timeouts….there are already eight media timeouts per game, how much rest does a college kid need? IMO all those timeouts are killing the flow and enjoyment of the game.

8. A timeout called within 30 seconds of a media timeout or any time after the scheduled media timeout now becomes the media timeout.

Good….I never did like the multiple timeouts within seconds of one another, but there are still too many.

9. Coaches can no longer call a timeout while the ball is live….players can still call a timeout.

Excellent……too often the coach has to bail out the player in trouble or in a rugby scrum.

10. Reduce the amount of time available to replace a fouled-out player.Sixty seconds has been the rule, and the rules committee did not specify a new time limit. Coaches should not have to take one minute to decide who will replace a disqualified player. IMO the team should remain on the floor and not come to the sidelines for coaching and strategy discussions during this period.

11. Officials will be allowed to penalize faked fouls they discover during the use of video to review a possible flagrant foul.

Finally! It goes both ways, you know. Technical fouls should put a stop to flopping….if it’s called.

12. Officials will be able to use the monitor to review potential shot clock violations on made field goals throughout the entire game.

IMO the use of technology can help the game, but continually going to the monitor, especially without an explanation to the fans in the stands, kills the momentum and atmosphere of a game.

13. Class B technical fouls like hanging on the rim, delaying the resumption of play, etc., will be one-shot technical fouls. Currently, two shots are granted for these types of fouls.

The fewer foul shots in basketball, the better, but the hanging on the rim call is so arbitrary I’m not sure it’s even worth a technical.

14. The five-second closely guarded rule while dribbling the ball has been eliminated.

Hmm, I like the current rule because it rewards the defense, but on the other hand just when the five second count begins is arbitrary, and with a 30 second shot clock the defense can still be rewarded with a rushed shot.

15. The prohibition of dunking in pregame has been removed.

Great, now that Xubi is gone they change the rule. (I think he was only caught once). But really, who needs to dunk in pregame warm-ups anyway?

16. Allowing only a total of 10 seconds to advance the ball to the front court.

I love this rule change as it should encourage coaches to put a lot more emphasis on full-court defensive pressure. The old rule of resetting the 10 second clock after a timeout never made any sense. The shot clock doesn't get reset when a timeout is called, so why should the 10-second clock?

1. The committee once again wants to increase emphasis on perimeter defense, particularly when it comes to hands on the dribbler, and it wants the refs to more strictly enforce the directives put in the book before the 2013-14 season.

Our point guards will need to learn how to take advantage by forcing contact, as several other teams do.

2. Officiating emphasis on cleaning up physicality in post play.

Should help a skinny guy like Philip.

3. Officiating emphasis on screening, particularly moving screens and requiring that the screener be stationary.

Sheesh, like the game at Pacific, where Thomas got 3 fouls trying to set screens?

4. Officiating emphasis on allowing greater freedom of movement for players without the ball.

Perhaps the Pilots will move more, not camp on the wings.

5. The restricted area under the basket goes from three feet out to four feet out.

Seems like this will increase blocking calls and encourage more barreling into the key.

6. The Shot clock is reduced from 35 to 30 seconds.Yikes, hope the Pilots adjust quickly to this one.

7. Took away one team timeout in the second half, with a focus on resuming play more quickly after a timeout.

"There are still way too many timeouts…." yup.

8. A timeout called within 30 seconds of a media timeout or any time after the scheduled media timeout now becomes the media timeout.

9. Coaches can no longer call a timeout while the ball is live….players can still call a timeout.

10. Reduce the amount of time available to replace a fouled-out player.Good.

11. Officials will be allowed to penalize faked fouls they discover during the use of video to review a possible flagrant foul.

12. Officials will be able to use the monitor to review potential shot clock violations on made field goals throughout the entire game.

Boo, another opportunity to watch 3 guys stare at a tiny screen.

13. Class B technical fouls like hanging on the rim, delaying the resumption of play, etc., will be one-shot technical fouls. Currently, two shots are granted for these types of fouls.

14. The five-second closely guarded rule while dribbling the ball has been eliminated.

Rarely called, won't be much difference.

15. The prohibition of dunking in pregame has been removed.

16. Allowing only a total of 10 seconds to advance the ball to the front court.

Same as #6, hope Pilots adjust quickly. Combined with #9 eliminating coach called time-outs, full court presses are going to be the way to play. Puts premium on PG play.

Two seasons ago there was great emphasis on hand check fouls. The first game of the year had something like 65 fouls called. By tournament time everything was back to normal. Last year there was a lot of hand checking not called.

The other foul that has been ignored was moving screen. Large players (Waldo, for eg. ) got away with murder and took up half the court with their motion.

My take is you can't make refs enforce the calls if they aren't inclined to. And about the only things I think would help is punitive evaluation and allowing replay evidence with clear criteria.